Shatterline is a Rouge-like PvP with an Interesting Theme
Shatterline is a new FPS that will be offering a little bit of everything. Developed by Ukrainian talent, Frag Lag, this game could be the next Apex Legends, respectively. This game will be free to play and it will come with some rogue-like features, along with some other surprises. This game is being made by a relatively small team and there have been some publishing issues bogging down progress. Nonetheless, the team is still working on this project and it appears to be shaping up quite nicely. Even though it still has a ways to go, at least the developers have a release date in their sights. Hence, it won’t be too much longer before players will get their hands on this to try it out. Now, what is interesting about this particular development cycle, is that the team actually communicates with players on various forums. It’s almost like a community project in some cases.
Storywise, there isn’t much to go on. A team of mercenaries known as “the immune” is humanity’s last hope. On a fateful day, a giant crystalline asteroid came slicing down onto Earth, decimating entire cities. Not only that but the people who survived became corrupted and now serve the beings that inhabit it. Players must now retake their cities and fight “The Crystal” in all its forms. Not only will there be turned people ravaging war against ‘the immune,’ but also interstellar creatures, as well. The plot is fairly straightforward with its motif. Shatterline is all about crystalized manifestations in terms of beings, maps, and weapons. It’s an interesting angle to go with and no doubt that there is some freshness to it. This game is starting to gain momentum in terms of gamers acknowledging its existence. Thus, there is a possibility that there could be something special, here.
Break The Enemy
Now, the major backbone that will support Shatterline will be its rouge-like co-op feature. This mode will be known as “Expedition.” Therefore, everything from enemies, map formation, and weapons will be randomized which each playthrough. There will be a complete roster of characters to choose from. Right now, the total will be eight. Each comes with their own perks and abilities. Thus, there will also be several PvP game modes to choose from to help break up the monotony of co-op. Generally speaking, the modes that will be offered kind of fall into the same vein as Overwatch. Of course, Shatterline does come with its own rules and regulations to help make it its own thing. These modes are not anything too innovative, but at least they offer a little spice to the selection menu. Thus, they offer a little something extra for gamers wanting something a little more “old school.”
Hence, these modes are; team deathmatch, plant the bomb, escort, and conquest. Any seasoned FPS player will know the description of these modes without much of an introduction. Gameplay-wise the FPS mechanics are pretty much standard fare. Players can sprint, jump, slide and climb around arenas. As mentioned before, every character comes with varying perks and abilities. Thus, they also have ultimates. Of course, these all come with cooldown periods. As far as the maps, some parts are interactive. Like kicking a block to assist with cover, for instance. Thus, there will also be some parts of the map that will be destructible. Breaking apart walls and cover appears to be a well-established feature in Shatterline. Indeed, there are varying things that can be “shattered” in this game. Lets us also not overlook the weaponry that this game has which, by the way, is a cornucopia of madness.
Crystal Crunch
To start, there will be a total of 25 different weapons to choose from. Of course, since this will be a free-to-play game, all of these guns will need to be unlocked through grinding. On top of that, there will be a slew of collectibles to find. Mainly, in the guise of attachments and customizations. Naturally, all of the attachments available will manipulate the stats with every weapon. Given that Shatterline is still a work in progress, all of these things are written in stone. This is will be a constantly changing situation. Needless to say, even though this game is a small production, there is a surprising amount of content in it. If this title has a successful launch, then chances are more content will be fed into the menu down the line. Needless to say, there are enough game modes to try out to please a lot of gamers.
The developers are passionate about games of this particular genre. They have been working on this for over 5 years and it appears to finally be bearing fruit. The majority of the game’s development cycle is pretty much complete. There are still some nagging issues that need to be addressed, but it is almost ready to go. The constant feedback that the developers receive is all taken into account. There are still some bugs that need to be addressed of course. Not to mention a slew of balancing issues. However, the general consensus with Shatterline is that players are enjoying it for what it is. There is massive potential for growth with this title and anything can happen. However, there are some heavyweights out there that might overshadow it. In any case, any player that is looking for something new might want to put this game on their list.
Sharpening The Edge
As of right now, Shatterline is scheduled to be released next February. It has been a long haul for the developers to get to this point, but they made it. It is slated to be a PC exclusive at launch. There is no word regarding Shatterline coming to consoles. Anything is possible at this point. Of course, it is all dependent on whether or not gamers fully embrace this title and give it a chance. In any case, there is a new free-to-play FPS coming soon, and hopefully, players will jump in and try it out.